2024/2025 - Your Starting XI

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

Considering the players due to be released & the likely departures of McBurnie, BBD, Archer & McAtee - how would you like to see us lineup next season?

Based on the players we have and could realistically retain, I'm going 4-3-3 with more static fullbacks. I'd retain Baldock & Egan as they've still got valuable leadership & experience at Championship level. Id cash in on Anel & Traore to fund a first choice GK, a CF (I'd keep Archer if possible) and possibly another central midfielder.
There's also the assumption that RND, Davies & Brewster can stay fit and fulfill their potential which would align to a promotion chasing, championship side.

GK
Baldock Egan RND Robinson
Arblaster Souza Hamer
Davies Brewster Brookes

Subs: Grbic, Curtis, Trusty, Slimane, Osula, Jebbison, CF

 

[Rudders]

Considering the players due to be released & the likely departures of McBurnie, BBD, Archer & McAtee - how would you like to see us lineup next season?

Based on the players we have and could realistically retain, I'm going 4-3-3 with more static fullbacks. I'd retain Baldock & Egan as they've still got valuable leadership & experience at Championship level. Id cash in on Anel & Traore to fund a first choice GK, a CF (I'd keep Archer if possible) and possibly another central midfielder.
There's also the assumption that RND, Davies & Brewster can stay fit and fulfill their potential which would align to a promotion chasing, championship side.

GK
Baldock Egan RND Robinson
Arblaster Souza Hamer
Davies Brewster Brookes

Subs: Grbic, Curtis, Trusty, Slimane, Osula, Jebbison, CF

Davies and Baldock are realistically done as regular playing professional footballers I would say. Almost certainly RND and Brewster too. Maybe Egan. Injuries caught up with them all, and be lucky to get contracts/games anywhere else.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

Davies and Baldock are realistically done as regular playing professional footballers I would say. Almost certainly RND and Brewster too. Maybe Egan. Injuries caught up with them all, and be lucky to get contracts/games anywhere else.

It's a strange one with Baldock and Egan, both had impeccable fitness & appearance records up until 2023...but I do also wonder if has caught up with them?

If they've got 20/30 games a season left in them, I'd definitely be looking to keep them around for at least 1 more (championship level) year...

 

[Ginger Gnome]

I don't know which is worse, thinking Davies will be fit or wanting to play him right wing.

 

[Rudders]

Egan was beginning to creak last year. Think I would start again with a new GK and new defence next year. I would build a flat back 4 with new players.

 

[Rudders]

Realistically I would only keep Trusty, Arblaster, Hamer and McBurnie from this side. I would like to keep BBD but presume we can’t afford him. Rest can go

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I don't know which is worse, thinking Davies will be fit or wanting to play him right wing.

The early rise of his Everton career was played wide right.

Davies reminds of Berge in that I don't think he's imposing enough in a traditional CM role. The only time I saw consistently excellent performances by Berge was when we gave him that floating, wide right position towards the end of the 21/22 & 22/23 season.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Hopefully we sign a lot of players because that team is shit

 

[jono_t2000]

Considering the players due to be released & the likely departures of McBurnie, BBD, Archer & McAtee - how would you like to see us lineup next season?

Based on the players we have and could realistically retain, I'm going 4-3-3 with more static fullbacks. I'd retain Baldock & Egan as they've still got valuable leadership & experience at Championship level. Id cash in on Anel & Traore to fund a first choice GK, a CF (I'd keep Archer if possible) and possibly another central midfielder.
There's also the assumption that RND, Davies & Brewster can stay fit and fulfill their potential which would align to a promotion chasing, championship side.

GK
Baldock Egan RND Robinson
Arblaster Souza Hamer
Davies Brewster Brookes

Subs: Grbic, Curtis, Trusty, Slimane, Osula, Jebbison, CF

Take Egan and Baldock out ur team and start from scratch.

 

[Deadbat]

I have a feeling that we won't be seeing Baldock, Egan, Norwood again. All are the wrong side of 30 and all are injury prone/on the declline. Sad to see them go but busines sense might be the right move.

I would not knock the club for this. We need to have players who can improve and are reliable. They have all been fantastic servants but I get the feeling from listening to Wilder and other bits and pieces, we will let them move on. We might offer the first two vastly reduced terms but they will reckon they could get a final pay day for a 2 or 3 year deal somewhere else if we do not sign. I'm not sure either get better than top end Champ.

Norwood I can see playing at lowe Champ or top of League One.

I think we may make offers for younger players like Bogle and McBurnie but again not getting the sense these are cut and dry.

I think out of the 14 or so out of contact we may only see 2 or 3 return.

 

[loyalblade95]

Grbic?
Bogle?, New CB, Egan?, JLT, Osborn?
Hamer, Arblaster, Brooks
Mcburnie/Osula, New ST

Bogle, Osborn and Grbic depends on whether they stay (Bogle, Egan and Osborn) or we recruit someone else in that position (Grbic).

Midfield 3 would depend on Midfield recruitment and fitness of other players like Davies.

Strikers will also depend on recruitment and fitness of new or existing players.

 

[S64 Blade]

Those out of contract I would probably keep - Bogle, McBurnie (I am a bit on the fence due to the injuries), Jebbison and Osborn (1 year deal only).

I think realistically we cannot keep hold of; Egan (injured until the end of this season, wrong side of 30), Basham (same as Egan, but worse), Baldock (as per the other two), RND (and again...which is a shame as he had real promise), Norwood (time for him to go now and leave on a relatively good note), Adam Davies (been told he has been offered a new deal, but I hope not), Wes (time to go and hopefully bring in someone else), Lowe (crap), Amissah (could be tempted to keep him as third choice, if he is deemed to be good enough).

Not sure if I've missed anyone there...

I'd then look to offload; Anel, Souza, Slimane (doesn't seem to be favoured/has disappeared), Traore.

I think we then need to bring in at least 9 players in the summer.

It's therefore had to say who our starting XI should be!

 

[Pintor75]

We need to completely rebuild the team/squad, I said this when we came down last time, we should have a couple of years in the Championship and be stringer when we do go up, if we keep this squad and we happen to get promoted next year we're not strong enough. Wave goodbye to the old guard and the crocs and with hopefully a new owner( wherever he is), we can improve